AMERICA. MADE IN VIRGINIA. By Dr. Rebecca Brannon, professor of history Dr. Robert Brown, professor of religion Dr. Kenneth L. Pearce, professor of philosophy
TOWARD ‘THE FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION’ James Madison played a pivotal role in the establishment of religious freedom in the United States as a fundamental civil right, rather than an indulgence from the government. He drew inspiration from key thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment, such as the English philosopher John Locke, as well as his own experience and observations of religious pluralism in the American colonies. His vision of religious freedom proved to be persuasive for the nation and even beyond its borders.
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View from the front gate at Montpelier, James Madison’s estate in Orange County, Virginia
PH OTO G R A PH BY J O H N M . C H A S E /G E T T Y I M AG E S